Maude Larivière
Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree?
I first fell in love with astronomy and physics when I took a field trip to the Mont-Mégantic Observatory in Southern Québec with my CÉGEP. During that visit, I learned about how astronomy and humans have always been intertwined since the beginning. The study of astronomy shaped not only civilizations across time, but more fundamentally how we understand the universe and our place in it. This fascinating duality is made even more interesting when considering its relation to the modern scientific perspective. Being able to study objects so far away and so big that our brains cannot comprehend, using tools developed by human ingenuity, to scientifically tackle questions such as the origins of everything and the human condition, just ignited something in me. So, I set myself on the path to become an astrophysicist, which naturally includes pursuing graduate studies.
Why did you decide to study at UBC?
I spent all my life in Québec and I was ready for an adventure. So when I applied to graduate schools, I chose to apply to places that combined great astrophysics programs and a change of scenery. In the end, it was the first one to send an answer so I took it as a sign and here we are!
What is it specifically, that your program offers, that attracted you?
When I was applying to graduate school, I knew I wanted to do astrophysics, but the exact flavour of astrophysics I was interested in was still nebulous, even after having done undergraduate research. There are just so many interesting things! UBC physics and astronomy is a bit different than other master’s programs in Canada, because you can enter without a supervisor and take a semester to look around to find the best match. So not only did I not have to commit to a long degree right away, but I could also take some time to talk to various professors to find the best match. I really felt like I could explore options, and if that ended up not quite what I was looking for, I could move on to something different for my PhD. Little did I know, I would end up working on something I didn’t even know existed before I started graduate school and love it so much I would decide to stay in a heartbeat for my PhD!
What was the best surprise about UBC or life in Vancouver?
Moving to Vancouver was stepping into new experiences and perspectives, considering I had never really travelled outside of Québec before. My dad and I even road-tripped across the country to get to Vancouver! I feel like I have been so lucky to have this opportunity to see more of the world, but also to deeply explore somewhere else than where I grew up. British Columbia is just so vast and everywhere you go there is natural beauty that I can just stare at for many hours.
What aspect of your graduate program do you enjoy the most or are looking forward to with the greatest curiosity?
By having the opportunity to work at TRIUMF while being a student at UBC, I get to be exposed to such interdisciplinarity! I get to have a foot in the vibrant astronomy community at UBC, but I also get to work with the TRIUMF theory group, which includes both nuclear and particle physicists. I feel like I am learning so much and have access to a lot of different perspectives, which is definitely a good thing when working in a field like nuclear astrophysics that combines input from a lot of different sources.
What aspects of your life or career before now have best prepared you for your UBC graduate program?
One thing that definitely helped me was choosing to go to CÉGEP partially in English after having lived my whole life in French! This gave me the confidence to do my undergraduate degree fully in English at McGill, where I was exposed to such a diverse research community.
What do you like to do for fun or relaxation?
I like to do a variety of things! I love exploring new places in the city, spending time in nature in various forms, cooking, reading books, listening to music, going on walks, and more. It’s really about who I am doing things with than what I am doing, that makes for good fun and relaxation! Nothing better than a good spontaneous activity with good people to put me in a good mood. And of course, I am always on the hunt for any fun astronomical event!
What advice do you have for new graduate students?
Attend departmental events, either those specifically for graduate students, but also the more general ones, like colloquiums or talks. If I had not done that, I would not have heard about my now supervisor’s research and things could have been wildly different for me! Not only that, but you get to meet other students in your program and make friends, which has been a really important part of my experience here at UBC and in Vancouver!
